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2 2011 LifeWay Christian Resources Revised Edition 2017 Permission is granted to reproduce and/or translate this booklet for non-commercial purposes only. This copyright notice must be included with each copy. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible, copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible and CSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Scriptures marked KJV are from the King James Version. For additional discipleship resources go to www.lifeway.com You may download a printable version of Week One at blog.lifeway.com/growingdisciples/print-downloads Welcome Since you are reading this, I assume you have decided to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus described what you have just experienced as being born again. Now, you are a child of God. Allow me welcome you to God s family! You are my brother or sister in Christ. I have the privilege of helping you start to grow from being a baby in Christ toward being a mature follower. That s a lifelong journey, but now is a good time to start. Will you allow me to be your coach? I have good news for you. As difficult as this Christian life may seem to you now, you are not alone. Jesus said, I am with you always (Matt. 28:20). He is with you by His Holy Spirit who has come to live in you. And God places you in the body of Christ the church so all the members can help one another become all God wants them to be. We ll talk more about all that later. For now, just know you are part of a team, and we want to help you grow up to be a mature follower of Jesus. Jesus said, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10, KJV). That s part of what Week One is all about helping you get started toward experiencing that abundant life Jesus has for you. Following Jesus is not easy, but I guarantee this abundant life is worth all your efforts. Over the course of the next seven days, I m going to coach you in beginning this new life. I ll talk with you (in writing) as if I were sitting across the table from you. I ll ask you some questions or give you an assignment. This is an example: How would you describe your background knowledge of what being a Christian means? Check one or write your own. a. I m from a family with other Christians. b. I studied Christianity extensively before making this decision. c. I really don t have much prior knowledge. d. My Questions & Notes 19

18 MONTH ONE Bible Reading Plan Use the following reading suggestions for the next 31 days. Read one chapter in your Bible each day. Think about what God is saying to you and talk to Him in prayer. Watch for ways to obey God s Word each day. As you read, watch for the following: What this reveals about God, His purposes, His ways What this reveals about yourself and your relationship to God Commands to obey; promises to claim; verses to memorize Sins & errors to avoid; principles for living; examples to follow Prayers to pray; wisdom to share; truth to confess Check off the chapters as you read them. If you miss a day, pick up where you left off. Draw near to the Lord your God, and He will draw near to you. Use the table of contents in your Bible if you need to locate the following books. Read about Jesus in the book of Mark in the New Testament: Mark 1 Mark 2 Mark 3 Mark 4 Mark 5 Mark 6 Mark 7 Mark 8 Mark 9 Mark 10 Mark 11 Mark 12 Mark 13 Mark 14 Mark 15 Mark 16 Read the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament: Exodus 20 Read Jesus Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament: Matthew 5 Matthew 6 Matthew 7 Read some of people s favorite poems from the Old Testament: Psalm 1 Psalm 23 Psalm 51 Psalm 100 Psalm 103 Psalm 139 Read the Apostle Paul s letter to the church at Ephesus (and to us) in the New Testament: Ephesians 1 Ephesians 2 Ephesians 3 Ephesians 4 Ephesians 5 In coming months read Acts, Matthew, Luke, John, Romans and other books of the New Testament. Eventually you will want to read the whole Bible. But don t stop there; spend time reading God s Word every day. Remember, if you miss a day, just start back right where you left off. Did you respond? If not, please do so. You may have a background with some good examples of what being a Christian looks like. Or your examples may have been poor ones. Or you may have no background whatsoever. No matter what your background is, the following suggestions should help you get off to a good start. Please respond to the questions and activities. I believe these will help you begin to grow. I ll do my best to be a good coach, but I know you will have questions or need suggestions I will not cover. Start thinking now about finding a live coach (another follower of Jesus) who can help you with the questions I fail to answer. The person who gave you this booklet may be a good choice. When you come up with a person, ask him or her for help; or ask a pastor or a Christian friend for a suggestion. When you enlist a coach write his or her name and contact information (like a phone number or e-mail address) below: When you learn a new subject in school or start a new job, you usually must learn new words to describe things or processes. This new life will include learning some new vocabulary words. Don t let it be a dreaded chore but a genuine adventure. I m going to try and help you along the way, but I know I can t do this job well in this short space. So as you read, circle words you do not understand. You can look them up in a dictionary or better yet ask another follower of Jesus Christ. This is one of the reasons I suggested you will want to enlist someone to coach you. Just like a person would train you for a new job, a coach can help you learn how to live this new life of following Jesus Christ. Are you ready? Let s get started. Each day s lesson will include the following elements: 1. Read God s Word for Today I ll give you one or more verses from the Bible to read and think about during the day. 2. Talk to God in Prayer I ll give you a suggestion for talking with your heavenly Father. You will learn more about prayer in Day 2. 3. Questions & Answers for Today I ll pose questions you may be asking and give very brief answers to get you started in knowing about God and how to follow Jesus. I ll conclude by asking you to: 4. Think about and Do (Obey) What God Has Said You will want to apply what you are learning by doing the things God desires. Jesus commanded his followers to make disciples teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you (Matthew 28:20). If you love Him, you will want to obey Him. 3

4 Day 1: Understand this New Life Read God s Word for Today: God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). You are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God s gift not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10). If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17). Talk to God in Prayer: Take a few moments to thank God that He loved you enough to send Jesus to pay the penalty for your sin on the cross. Give Him permission to make you a new creation. You can talk out loud if you have some privacy, or you can pray silently, thoughtfully. God hears. Remember to circle words you don t know. Then look them up or ask someone to help you understand them. First, let s review what happens to a person when he or she trusts Jesus Christ and becomes a new creation. 1. Because of sin, a person without Christ is spiritually dead in sin. No works of his own can save him. 2. Jesus lived a sinless life and died as a sacrifice to pay the death penalty for sin. 3. He grants forgiveness and eternal life to those who turn from their sinful ways and receive Him as Savior and Lord. 4. God places the Holy Spirit of Christ in a new believer to help him, guide him, teach him, give understanding, and enable him to do the things God asks of him. It is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose (Philippians 2:13). 5. God s goal for your life is that you be transformed into Christlikeness so you think and act like Christ. He has created you for good works that contribute to accomplishing Christ s mission in the world. You may not understand all that right now. Don t worry. God knows where you are and what you need. He cares that you grow to full maturity more than you do. And He has placed His Holy Spirit in you to help with the process. I m guessing you may need to circle a few words in the previous list. If you haven t already done so, go ahead and do that now. Paul (one of the writers of the New Testament and a missionary) wrote to the Christians in his day and said, Test yourselves to see if you are in the 2. Join a church and follow Jesus example in baptism. 3. Join a small group at your church for Bible study, growth as a follower of Christ, and for Christian fellowship. 4. Choose someone to coach you in this new walk. Start by asking some of the questions you have written on page 19. Ask your coach to explain any words you still do not understand. 5. Start telling your story of what God is doing in your life. 6. Decide on a plan to spend daily time with God in His Word (Bible reading, study, meditation, memorization, etc.) and prayer. Consider using the Month One Bible Reading Plan on page 18 to start. 7. Take some serious steps toward continuing your growth as a follower of Jesus Christ. If your church has a plan, follow their lead. If they don t have a plan, ask a few other people to study one or all of the following series of resources with you. Growing Disciples: The Call to Follow Christ by Claude King is a 7-week introduction to six basic disciplines every Christian needs to practice: abide in Christ, live in the Word, pray in faith, fellowship with believers, witness to the world, and minister to others. You can continue in the Growing Disciples Series with a 6-week study on each of these six disciplines. MasterLife by Avery T. Willis Jr. and Kay Moore has been used by hundreds of thousands of people around the world to grow and mature as disciples and as disciple makers. Avery developed the Disciple s Cross illustrated above. MasterLife includes four 6-week studies: The Disciple s Cross, The Disciple s Personality, The Disciple s Victory, The Disciple s Mission. Disciples Path: The Journey was created to help churches instill biblical understandings, principles, and practices of discipleship, with the end goal of making disciples who make disciples. This 4-volume, one-year series focuses on essentials of the Christian life: who Christ is, baptism, prayer, the importance of community and discipleship, and more. The above resources are available at www.lifeway.com, from LifeWay Christian Stores, or by calling (800) 458-2772. 17

Day 7: Plan and Take Next Steps Read God s Word for Today: Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby (1 Peter 2:2, KJV). Talk to God in Prayer: Thank God for what He has begun doing in your life. Ask Him to help you continue growing in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ your Savior. Ask God to feed you with His Word. Check each of the following items you would like to experience as you follow Jesus Christ. A. I d like to share in God s divine nature. B. I d like to escape the sinful corruption in the world. C. I d like to live a useful and fruitful life. D. I d like to never stumble spiritually. If you checked them all, you are like me. I want all of those things, too. I have good news for you: They are available to us! Slowly read the following promise from the Bible. Circle the words that describe qualities God wants to add to your life. His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. By these he has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, selfcontrol with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble (2 Peter 1:3-10). WOW! You ve started the journey this week. You haven t finished, you ve just begun. Here are some next steps to take. 1. Review the steps and tips from the past six days. Don t get discouraged if the task seems really big. God and the body of Christ are present to help you. As you surrender to Christ, you will be amazed at what He can do to transform you to be more like Him. 16 faith. Examine yourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5). Before we go much farther, I suggest you do just that. Without God s work in your life, this change cannot happen. Examine yourself. Write a letter beside each question below: Y (yes); N (no); or NS (not sure). 1. Have you realized that you fall short of God s standards and you need Jesus Christ to forgive you? 2. Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin and that He rose from the dead in victory over sin? 3. Have you agreed with God about your sinful condition and asked Him to forgive you? 4. Have you decided to turn away from your self-centered ways (repent) and asked Jesus Christ to be your Lord (Master) to guide you and enable you in right living? Ask God s Holy Spirit to bear witness to you (to help you know for sure) that now you are indeed a child of God s. Questions & Answers for Today Q1: What is sin? A1: (Remember these are very simple answers.) Sin is missing the mark or falling short of God s standards. It includes disobedience to God s commands. Sin can be something you do or fail to do. It includes wrong thinking and attitudes, words, or actions. Q2: What is forgiveness? A2: When you sin, you deserve a penalty. Jesus paid your penalty when He died on the cross. When He forgives, He clears your record so you are free from the penalty. I m sure you will have questions. By writing them down daily as they come to mind, you will not forget them. When you meet with your coach or a Christian friend, you will be able to ask these questions. Keep in mind, God s Holy Spirit lives in you. You can ask Him also. Over time He may reveal the answers to you through God s Word the Bible. At the end of each lesson this week, review what you have studied and make a note of any specific things you sense God wants you to do as a result. You can even pray and ask God: Lord, what do you want me to do today to obey You? Today, that might be to thank Him for adopting you as His child, for forgiving you of your sin, and giving you His Holy Spirit to live in you. 5

6 Day 2: Spend Time with God Daily Read God s Word for Today: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:9-13). Talk to God in Prayer: Jesus gave His followers the model prayer you just read. You can pray this prayer, but you also can use it as an example of the way to pray and the kinds of things for which you might ask. Use it as a model as you talk with your heavenly Father today. Praise God for his greatness and holiness. Realize that He is the One with whom you are talking. Pray that His will be done everywhere and agree that you will obey Him as He makes His will clear to you. Ask God to provide the things you need (not just what you want) today. When He provides, thank Him. Confess your sins (debts) and ask God to forgive you. If you need to forgive others, now is the time to seek God s help in doing that. Ask God to give you strength to resist temptation to sin and to deliver you from the influence of the devil. Ask God for daily victory over sinful thoughts, words, and deeds. Worship Christ as your powerful King (over His kingdom) and stand in awe of His glory (the evidence of God s greatness). Begin to spend a regular time with your heavenly Father in prayer. This is not just an item to be checked off your To-Do list. Prayer is a relationship with a Person. God has placed the Holy Spirit of His Son in you to always be with you and guide you. You can talk to God anytime (aloud or silently). Learn to quietly listen as well. He will speak to you through His Word (more on this tomorrow) and in prayer. As you read the following tips, underline the ones that seem to be most important or helpful to you. 1. Learn to talk to Him about everything that concerns you. He cares. Enjoy your time with Him. Tell others what good things the Lord has done for you. 1. Tell your family, relatives, friends, neighbors, and coworkers what God is doing in your life. Tell them what you have learned and experienced about Jesus Christ and what He has done. 2. Ask some other Christians to pray with you for the people on your list who do not yet believe in Christ that they will come to faith in Him also. 3. Send a text. Post it on the wall for your social network friends. Record and post a video online telling your story. 4. Invite them to attend your baptism as you share a public witness about your new life in Christ. (You may even want to prepare refreshments afterward to hang around and talk.) 5. Invite them to go with you to a small-group Bible study so they can learn about God with you. Jesus said, Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father comes to me (John 6:45). Questions & Answers for Today Q1: What do I say? A1: Jesus said you would be His witness. A witness tells what he or she personally has seen, heard, or experienced. No one else can tell that story like you can. It s your story of what Jesus is doing. It may or may not be dramatic, but for you it is life changing. Those who know and care about you will be eager to hear why your life is changing. Q2: What if someone is not eager but upset? A2: Be patient. They may be responding that way because they don t understand. Pray that God will do such a wonderful job of changing you to look and act like Jesus that people will notice the change. Pray that God will make your experience of Jesus Christ appealing to others. Then, when that upset person decides he wants what you have, you will be able to rejoice together. 15

14 Day 6: Tell Your Story Read God s Word for Today: Everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven (Matthew 10:32-33). You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Talk to God in Prayer: Thank God that He has begun a good work in your life. Tell the Lord Jesus about your desire to let others know about your personal relationship with Him. Ask Him to empty you of self-centeredness and cleanse you of sin so that He can fill you with His Holy Spirit and with power! One day Jesus met a demon-possessed man whose life was out of control. He had lost his family and his sanity. In love, Jesus healed him and set him free from the demons that held him in bondage. Out of great joy, the man wanted to travel with Jesus, but Jesus had a different assignment for him: Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you. So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed (Mark 5:19-20). Those who have been born again, forgiven, cleansed, and set free by Jesus Christ have a story to tell. And that story grows day-by-day as God continues to transform your life by the work of His Holy Spirit in you. Use a separate sheet of paper or, better yet, start keeping a journal or a diary to record some details about why and how you chose to become a follower of Jesus Christ. You may want to answer questions like: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? Think about this: What is different today because of Jesus? Do you feel peace, love, freedom from sin or bondage, released from guilt, clean, befriended, or? Take a few minutes now to make some notes before you continue below. Suppose Jesus were to say to you what He said to the formerly demon-possessed man: Go back home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you. Whom would you tell? What would you tell them? Make a list of a few people and write a note of what you would say. 2. Learn to respond to Him in confession, praise, worship, and thanksgiving. This is a lifelong journey; you will learn to pray these ways as you grow spiritually. 3. Learn to ask God for the things He wants to do in you and in the lives of those around you. 4. Look for opportunities to pray with other believers so you can learn from them and experience the benefits of praying together. 5. The Bible is filled with prayers, especially in the Psalms. You can use the Bible prayers as your own. God s Word will also suggest things for which you can pray. 6. Many songs are really prayers of praise and worship spoken directly to the Lord. Christian music can become a help for your praying. 7. Arrange you schedule so you can set aside a regular time for prayer daily. Many have found that early morning is a great time to start their day with an unhurried time with God. Making this a habit will take time and adjustments (like going to bed on time the night before), but the benefit is worth the effort. 8. Take time to enjoy just being with your heavenly Father. Go for a walk or a drive and talk to Him about everything that concerns you. Find a meaningful place inside or outside to sit and talk with Him. Allow Him to reveal His perfect love for you as you spend time with Him. Spend some time today just talking with God. Share with Him your desires for this new life. Ask Him for help. Ask Him to teach you to pray. Do you have doubts, questions, or special concerns? You can talk to Him about those also. Place a check ( ) in this box when you have taken time to pray: Questions & Answers for Today Q1: Do I need to bow my head and close my eyes to pray? A1: You may. For some a bowed head indicates your reverent submission to God. Closed eyes help filter out distractions around you. But keep in mind that prayer is more about a relationship. You can talk to God with eyes open or closed. You can talk with Him kneeling, standing, laying down, walking, running, or driving. Q2: Must I pray aloud (audibly)? A2: God is Spirit. He hears your prayers and knows your thoughts whether they are prayed aloud or silently. The important thing is pray. 7

Day 3: Learn about God, His Will & Ways Read God s Word for Today: All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you. Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:11,105). Talk to God in Prayer: Thank God for the Bible (God s Word) through which He has revealed Himself and the good news of salvation that comes through Jesus Christ. Ask Him to help you study and understand His Word so you can know Him better and live as He desires. Today, I want to talk with you about the importance of the Bible for your spiritual growth. The verses above describe some of the benefits of God s Word. Knowing God s Word can help you resist temptations to sin. It can give you insight and direction for daily living. It can provide correction and training for right living. God s Word is a trustworthy guide for your faith and for daily living. Do you have a Bible of your own? If not, buy one or ask your church if they have an extra copy that you may have. You may want to buy a study Bible that has built-in Bible study tools. Below is list of some things God reveals through His Word. 1. An attribute (characteristic) of God 2. God s will (His purpose, plan, or desire) 3. God s ways 4. A command to obey 5. A promise to claim 6. A sin or error to avoid 7. A prayer to pray 8. A truth about me in relationship to God 9. An example to follow Match each of the following Bible verses with one or more of the things listed above that God reveals through His Word. Write one or more numbers beside each of the following verses. For example: the first verse is a command and also an example to follow; so you would write both 4 and 9 beside verse A. Underline the verses that are especially meaningful to you. A. Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another (John 13:34) 8 1. If you have not already identified one, pray that God will guide you to the church of His choosing. Find out how you go about affiliating with that local church and do so. 2. Get involved in a small group where you can study the Bible together and help one another grow in Christlikeness. This is the place where you will most likely experience the major benefits of being part of a church. For many churches this will be a Sunday School class, but for others the small-groups may have different names and meet at other times than on Sunday and in other places than a church building. 3. Actively participate in worship experiences with the larger body of Christ (church). 4. Listen attentively to the teaching and preaching of God s Word so you can learn how to follow Christ from others. 5. Ask God and other church members to show you how you can contribute to the body of Christ through serving and giving. Declare your faith in Christ by being baptized. Baptism is a symbolic act to indicate you have chosen to follow Christ. You have died to your old sinful life, and you have been raised with Christ to live a new life. Jesus set the example for us in baptism. 1. Share about your decision to follow Christ with a church family and ask when and how you can be baptized. 2. Invite people you know and love to attend your baptism service. Questions & Answers for Today Q1: Do I have to join a church or can I just float around from one to another? A1: Just as your body parts are all attached to you, you need to be attached to the other members of the body of Christ. You need them and they will need you to function properly. That s the way God intended you to grow. Don t try to by-pass God s plan. You need to belong. Q2: Are all churches the same? A2: No. Not all are Christian (followers of Jesus Christ). Start there. Many things like formality, music style, and size are matters of personal preference. But find a church that believes and teaches the Bible as God s only guide for faith and daily living. Make sure they believe Jesus is the divine Son of God and that salvation comes only by faith in Him. 13

12 Day 5: Connect with the Body of Christ Read God s Word for Today: Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it (1 Corinthians 12:27). Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of [or belong to] one another (Romans 12:4-5). He himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, equipping the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head Christ. From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part (Ephesians 4:11-16). Talk to God in Prayer: Thank God you do not have to live this life of following Christ alone. Ask Him to guide you to the church (the body of Christ) where He wants you to belong. Ask Him to minister to you through that church family and begin to show you the contributions He wants to make through you. Remember to circle words you don t know. Then look them up or ask someone to help you understand them. When you are born again and adopted into God s family, you become a part of the redeemed. God bought and paid a price for you by the death of Christ on the cross. You belong to God. But God wants you to be a part of a local church (often called the body of Christ) where members help one another grow up into full maturity. The body of Christ, as God s representative, then carries out God s mission to help people get right with (be reconciled to) God. We have the assignment of making disciples of all peoples. Now that you are a disciple (follower) of Jesus Christ, you have the privilege and responsibility of joining that effort of helping others come to know and trust Jesus Christ and grow to maturity. Join a church where you can experience all the benefits of being a part of the body of Christ. Check each one of the following actions as you get started. B. Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7). C. You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth (Psalm 86:15). D. The Lord disciplines the one He loves. he does it for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness (Hebrews 12:6,10). E. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me (John 15:5). F. Teach me your way, LORD, and I will live by your truth. Give me an undivided mind to fear your name. (Psalm 86:11). G. The Lord is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). H. Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many (Hebrews 12:15). You may have gotten different answers (or only one for a verse), but here are my responses: A 4,9; B 4,5; C 1, 7; D 1,8; E 2,8; F 7; G 1,2,3; H 4,6. Do you see how rich and instructive God s Word is for you? Read and study God s Word to come to know Him, His purposes, and His ways. Here are some tips: 1. Read. Regularly spend time reading or listening to God s Word. Pay special attention to what God says through the Bible about Himself, what He desires, and how He works. 2. Obey. Don t just listen to God s Word, but do what it says. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22). Ask: What do I need to do to obey what God has said? 3. Meditate. Spend time thinking about what God has said. Study to better understand what He is saying. 4. Memorize. Commit to memory important verses so you will remember what God has said when you need to know His will. Question & Answer for Today Q: The Bible has 66 books. Where should I start? A: You can start at the beginning in Genesis. But I suggest you start in the New Testament to read about Jesus and what He taught. On page 18 you will find suggestions for a first month. Don t hesitate to use the Table of Contents in the front of your Bible to find the books listed like Mark. 9

Day 4: Live in Victory Read God s Word for Today: This is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden, because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:3-5) You are from God, little children, and the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Talk to God in Prayer: Tell God how much you love Him. Thank Him for His commands that help you know how to have an abundant life. Pray the prayer of the psalmist: I delight to do your will, my God, and your instruction is deep within me (Psalm 40:8). Ask God to help you increasingly experience victory over sin and worldly influences. Decide to obey God as He reveals His will through His Word and by the leading of His Holy Spirit. 1. Make a conscious decision and pledge to the Lord that you will obey Him as He reveals His will to you. 2. Seek to know His will as you read His Word and pray. 3. When you still don t know what is right or wrong in a matter, ask a trusted and faithful Christian to help you understand. Begin to put off the old sinful attitudes and actions and put on the new ways of thinking and behaving that honor God. 1. As God reveals attitudes and actions that are wrong, quit doing those things. Say no to the ungodly thoughts and temptations to sin. Avoid places or activities where temptation to sin is strong. 2. As God reveals new ways of thinking and behaving that please and honor Him, add those to your life. Watch for opportunities to think and live in these new, godly ways. 3. God desires a relationship with you; being a Christian is not just keeping a list of rules. Jesus wants you to follow Him, love Him, obey Him, and become like Him. And the good news is that He lives in you to guide you and help you obey. Depend on Him for help. 4. When you fail, hurry back to God: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Read the following Scripture. Circle the words describing what you should put off (like taking off items of clothing). Underline the words describing what you should put on. I ve completed one of each for you. 10 Put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator (Colossians 3:5-10). Therefore, as God s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity (Colossians 3:12-14). Now think about the two lists (what to put off and what to put on) and talk to God. What does He want you to do differently? List below at least one thing you want to change to obey God. Questions & Answers for Today Q1: If I ve got a BIG sin area from that list in Colossians 3 that has a powerful hold on me, what do I do to get set free? A1: Begin by talking to Jesus about it. Agree that you want to be set free. Re-read and begin to practice the suggestions I ve made on page 10. But here s one more. God s Word says, Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect (James 5:16). Privately confide in a trusted Christian friend. Ask him or her to pray for you (preferably at that moment) and to regularly check up on your progress toward victory. Q2: Is victory really possible? A2: Yes. Because of Christ, you have been set free from sin s power (see Romans 6). But victory requires daily, moment-by-moment choices to resist temptation and yield yourself to God. As you grow in Christ, you will increasingly experience this victory. Ask God and others for help. Jesus said, I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance (John 10:10). Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:57). 11